Item

Status

Appearances

Hyperion is the Titan of light, fire and power, and the Titan Lord of the East. He is one of the most powerful Titans, the third most powerful after Atlas and Kronos and one of Kronos' most loyal followers (which earned him the nickname "Kronos Lite"). Hyperion is the father of Eos, Helios, and Selene by Theia, the Titaness of sight and enlightenment. One of the twelve Elder Titans, Hyperion was imprisoned in Tartarus after the First Titanomachy, and was eventually released during the Second Titanomachy to fight against Olympus.

Contents

Early Life

Hyperion was the fourth son born to Gaea and Ouranos, the respective personifications of the earth and sky. The Titans were the eldest of the three races born to Gaea the Earth and Ouranos the Sky, before the Hekatonkheires (Cottus, Gyges, and Briares) and the Elder Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, and Steropes). All were detested by their father, but he detested the younger children so much (mainly for their ugliness) that he imprisoned them in the terrifying abyss of Tartarus, which was itself deep within the Earth. Enraged, Gaea told her remaining twelve children (including Hyperion), the Titans, to take the mighty scythe that she had forged, and avenge their brothers by overthrowing their arrogant and sadistic father. However, while Hyperion detested his father, he was ambivalent at the prospect of murdering him, and did not step up to take the scythe. However, after his younger brother Kronos did, Hyperion agreed to help him in the murder, and promptly silenced Iapetus (who was beginning to have second thoughts). Nonetheless, Hyperion's elder brother Oceanus, as well as his sisters Theia, Tethys, Themis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, and Rhea all refused to participate.

Murder of Ouranos

While preparing to ambush his father Ouranos, Hyperion hid himself behind an enormous sofa. Together with his brothers Iapetus, Krios, and Koios, Hyperion held Ouranos down, after which Kronos used the scythe to slice Ouranos into a thousand pieces and claim his supremacy over the universe. However, right before Kronos sliced him up, Ouranos predicted that one day Kronos himself would suffer the same fate at the hands of his own child. After defeating his father, Hyperion roared with laughter, along with Krios, Koios, and Kronos. Afterwards, Kronos hurled the all of the remaining pieces of Ouranos into the sea as gesture of loathing against his brother Oceanus for not helping slay their father. Much later, these particles would mix with the ocean spray to form Aphrodite.

The Titan Lord of the East

After Kronos claimed his supremacy as the Titan King of Mount Orthys, and ushered in the "Golden Age", Hyperion was justly rewarded for his help with control over the East. Hyperion was one of Kronos' most loyal followers, and was nicknamed "Kronos Lite" by his brothers behind his back. Hyperion would also frequently approach his wise and clairvoyant brother Koios with questions about the future.

When Kronos grew disgusted by all of the unbearable noise that his Hekatonkheire and Elder Cyclopes brethren constantly made, as well as their revolting stench, he summoned Hyperion and Atlas. Together, the three strongest Titans overwhelmed them, chained all six of them up, and hurled their younger brothers into Tartarus once again, this time guarded by Kampê, the most ferocious and terrifying monster in all of Tartarus that Kronos personally hired.

As the Titan of Light, Hyperion soon attracted the attention of his beautiful sister Theia, the Titaness of Splendour, who adored all shiny objects. After marrying her, Hyperion fathered three children: Helios (the Titan of the Sun), Selene (the Titaness of the Moon), and Eos (the Titaness of the Dawn). Hence, since Hyperion was the Titan Lord of the East, his son Helios always rose from the east every morning. Shortly after the birth of his children, Hyperion no longer visited Kronos on Mount Orthys, not even during the latter's weekly Sunday dinners. While he claimed to be too busy, Kronos knew that the actual reason was Hyperion's secret fear of his brother's might and infamous temper.

However, years later, after Kronos hired a young Titan by the name of Zeus (actually a god in disguise), Hyperion was very entertained by the latter's excellent singing, dancing, and "Satyr jokes", and took to visiting Kronos on Mount Orthys more often. Shortly thereafter, Zeus encouraged Hyperion to participate in the newly established Titanic drinking contests. As the Titan King of Mount Othrys, Kronos would always win, since he could not let his siblings or nephews overcome him in anything.

One evening, when Hyperion was dining with his brothers and nephews, Zeus prepared nectar mixed with sleeping potion for Hyperion, and a powerful emetic for Kronos. As before, Zeus entertained them all with his great singing, dancing, and jokes. Near the end of the Titanic banquet, Zeus encouraged all of the Titans to have yet another drinking contest, and handed out the prepared goblets. As before, Kronos won the contest, but the emetic caused him to disgorge all his swallowed children, while Hyperion was temporarily knocked out by the sleeping potion, and could not stop them from escaping.

Shortly thereafter, all six of Kronos' children quickly declared war against their father, as well as the other Titans, which resulted in the terrifying 11-year-long Titanomachy. Hyperion initially had the upper hand in his battles with the gods, since he was a very skilled and more experienced swordsman. However, the gods quickly became skilled warriors as well, and with the help of their new extremely powerful weapons (Zeus' Master Bolt, Poseidon's Trident, and Hades' Helm of Darkness), as well as the aid of the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires, the gods finally prevailed. During the final battle, Zeus used his Master Bolt to shear off the top of Mount Othrys, and hurl Kronos from his Black Throne, defeating the Titan King. Shortly thereafter, the gods invaded the ruins of Mount Orthys, and finally overwhelmed the remaining Titans (including Hyperion himself).

In the aftermath of the battle, Hyperion was chained up by the Elder Cyclopes, after which the Hekatonkheires forced him to kneel before Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Zeus proceeded to taunt his uncle Hyperion, prompting the latter to hang his head in shame. Zeus proceeded to hurl Hyperion into Tartarus, along with Iapetus, Krios, Koios, and Kronos' remains. The Titans would be imprisoned in the maximum-security zone of Tartarus, surrounded by huge bronze walls, and a lava moat, guarded by their Hekatonkheire brothers.

Hyperion is first seen in a dream of Percy's on Mount Othrys talking to Krios about his nephew Prometheus and the trap for the Olympians. Both Titans are standing over a bronze brazier, studying the images of battles that appear in the flames. Hyperion also silences and mocks his nephew Atlas, who is complaining, saying he wants to fight and someone should take the sky from him. Hyperion, however, refuses to release him. With Atlas still imprisoned under the weight of the Sky, Hyperion appears to have replaced him as Kronos' second-in-command. The Titan sadistically claims Olympus will be in ruins in a few days' time, after which the Titans will meet on Mount Orthys again, to celebrate the dawn of a new "Golden Age". Hyperion promptly erupts in flames and vanishes, to marshal Kronos' forces in the east.

At some point, the tree that imprisoned Hyperion presumably destroys him, returning the Titan to Tartarus to reform. While Iapetus, Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson are wandering around in Tartarus, they come across a golden bubble in which Hyperion reforming. Iapetus notes how similar they look, which Percy confirms by admitting that Hyperion was the former's brother. He convinces Iapetus that he was a good Titan while Hyperion was bad who had tried to kill him and other innocent beings. Iapetus promptly agrees, and stabs Hyperion's bubble with his spear-broom. Later, it is shown that Hyperion reforms somewhere else in Tartarus and guards the Doors of Death with his brother Krios. He hates just guarding the Doors and wants to go to the mortal world. Shortly before Percy, Annabeth and Iapetus arrive, he and Krios had transported the giants, including Enceladus, Polybotes, Alcyoneus, Otis and Ephialtes out of Tartarus through the Doors, along with countless other monsters. Krios calls Tartarus a "stinking pit," angering Tartarus, who arrives and promptly destroys Hyperion and Krios' bodies, and sucks in their immortal essence into the dark whirlpool on his face.

Personality

Hyperion was cruel and arrogant, like all of his brothers. Hyperion, however, seemed particularly brutal, like his brother Kronos, and had no qualms about helping re-imprison his Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires brothers in Tartarus yet again, as he viewed them as repulsive and inferior to his Titan race. Hyperion was also extremely vain, and called himself "The Lord of Light", since the light of day came from the east every morning. Behind his back, however, his siblings called him "Kronos Lite", since he would always follow Kronos's orders without question, and was "basically like Kronos with half the calories and none of the taste." Hence, Hyperion was one of Kronos' most devoted followers. Hyperion was also somewhat of a hypocrite, since in The House of Hades, he claims that he would have wielded the scythe against Ouranos himself, had he had the chance, while in actuality, he was too scared to do so at the time. The Titan seemed to relish his ability to burst into flames, which made him "the flashiest" of his siblings.

Percy Jackson, Hyperion's grandnephew, who defeated him.

Appearance

Hyperion is described by Percy in The Last Olympian to be muscular, tall and bearded, with fiercely glowing skin ("the color of polished pennies"), golden eyes "like miniature suns" with a harsh light. He reminded Percy of Apollo except his light is "harsher." He was wearing "blazing" golden armor and wielded a long golden sword (possibly made of Imperial Gold) during his brief, but intense battle with Percy. As mentioned in The House of Hades, Hyperion also bears great resemblance to his brother Iapetus, apart from Iapetus's signature color being silver instead of Hyperion's gold.

Abilities

Hyperion is an extremely powerful Titan. In the old days, when he and his brothers Koios (North), Krios (South) and Iapetus (West) controlled the four corners of the world, Hyperion was the East - the most powerful of the four, and third in power only to Atlas and Kronos.

Prowess in Battle: As the most powerful of the Elder Titans, and an elder brother of Kronos, Hyperion had an incredible amount of enhanced strength and combat skill. He was surpassed only by Kronos and Atlas in terms of combat might. He was more fierce and skilled in battle than even some of the most powerful of the gods, holding the upper hand in a battle with a Styx-bathedPercy Jackson (who had earlier speedily defeated Hades in his own realm). Ultimately, it was the woodland magic of the nature spirits that defeated Hyperion by imprisoning him in a tree (and subsequently sending him to Tartarus).

Titanic Energy: Like all Titans, Hyperion can blast things hundreds of yards away from himself with a yell or a wave of the hand.

Water Walking: He can walk on water, much like his half-brother Orion.

Tongue of the Old Times fluency: According to Tyson in The Battle of the Labyrinth, this is the ancient language that Gaea spoke to the Titans, Elder Cyclops and Hekatonkheires before the birth of the Olympian gods. Hence, Hyperion understands and speaks it perfectly.

Pyrokinesis: As the Titan of Fire, he has divine authority and absolute control over fire. Hence, he is noticeably weaker when he is wet.

Self-Inflammation: He can set himself on fire. According to Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, this ability made Hyperion popular at his siblings' parties.

Fire Extinguishing: He can put out a Greek fire bomb with his hand.

Fire Blasts: It is assumed that Hyperion can launch projectile blasts of flame at opponents.

Photokinesis: As the Titan of Light, he has divine authority and absolute control over light.

Luminous Aura: He can surround himself with blinding, harsh light.

Enhanced Speed: He can travel at considerable superhuman speeds, which Percy could match only with the Curse of Achilles and a tornado backing him up (despite Percy having outsped Hades himself).